Ninth Legacy: Reversal
by Helena Lucia
Summary: Kyuubi and Uzumaki Naruto interact within his mindscape. -Partial AU.-


_** Nine Tailed Legacy: Uzumaki**_

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_**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.**_

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Long fingers knotted into Naruto's matted blond hair, slamming his forehead into the bloodied marble as coppery liquid stained his teeth red.

"You know," The smooth voice trickled past the ringing in his ears, "they called you the Child of the Prophecy once, destined to bring _peace_," the word is spat like a curse, "to the Shinobi Nations."

Even with his eyes closed Naruto could envision the tall red-head's long wine-red hair and narrowed garnet eyes, lips curved into a sneer.

"They seem to think you a paragon of virtue, if naivety, but _I_ remember when you were _truly_ angry, the white-hot rage clawing at your mind, the way your hands trembled to tear open his chest and crush his heart within your fingers. You had talked before, entrancing people with your words of rectitude and _righteousness_, but I was _there_. I _know_ that you would have torn his lovely rippled eyes out with your bare hands and_ eaten them_." He paused a moment, the hand in his hair moving to grasp his chained wrists and Naruto refused to be ashamed of his own vulnerability. "That _unbridled fury_, child, was all your own."

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He remembered the phrase all too well, that Gaara had whispered, one evening when the moon was high, and the wind carelessly danced with the desert sands. _"The greatest danger for a jinchuuriki is often their own mind."_

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Nine chains of red chakra wrapped around his bare form, forcing him to his knees before Kurama and Naruto could only marvel at the irony. _My mother's own chakra chains used against me_.

"I am curious _Naruto-kun_," His name was hissed out like a lover's caress and Naruto was starkly reminded of swirling sharingan eyes, but he wasn't certain which pair. "why, even after Pein had _annihilated_ everyone and everything that you claimed to love, did you _just let him go?_"

A harsh laugh bubbled past his lips, mingling with the blood and saliva, and his blue eyes darkened as he caught Kurama's smoldering gaze. "It worked didn't it?"

His head was abruptly slammed against the gleaming golden bars that were supposed to contain the Kyuubi, _supposed to, but didn't, not anymore_, and he might have blacked out because when he was aware once more he could feel the_ dark, malicious _chakra, _both yours and_ _mine_, slithering under his skin, _fast and hungry_, and a shiver of something he refused to acknowledge slipped down his spine.

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"You really are a masochist." The red chains tightened against his ribs. "You hunger for pain and reality, and it's brought you to a hair's breadth from death so many times but you always get back up, with not even a scar to show from it."_ Even the star-burst over his heart from when Sasuke- "_Sometimes you did die, didn't you? How many times has it been _Naruto-kun?_ How many times have _I_ brought you back from the Shinigami's grasp?"

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_ Ah, and that was the heart of the matter wasn't. How many times had he truly died, the Kyuubi tearing him back into the world of the living?_ _Four? Nine? Seventeen? He didn't even remember anymore._

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Naruto slumped forward, his naked shoulders meeting the floor. "Why do you do it then? I studied the seal. You never had to bring me back. If I died you would still reform eventually. My father was well aware of that."

Kurama lips curved in distaste and Naruto felt his ribs beginning to fracture. "Namikaze Minato escaped me before I had a chance to fully _repay_ him for his little performance with the Shinigami but I am not so petty to take it out on his son. He did release me from the Uchiha.

However, _you_ are _my_ container and we are not finished until _I_ say so. Not the youngest Uchiha, not _Madara_, not your traitorous village and certainly not the _Shinigami_. Even you yourself may chase after death with open arms but I will continue to bring you back until _I_ am finished."

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A smirk curled across Kurama's lips and Naruto thought it a strangely human gesture. "You have been _mine_, child, from the moment your Yondaime offered you up as a sacrifice."

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_**Author's Note: **Slightly AU take on Naruto and Kurama's relationship. This was inspired by a lovely story with a theme much like this one that I read earlier, but I cannot, for the life of me remember which one it was. So, if anyone does know, don't hesitate to tell me so that I can give credit where it is due. _


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